In addition to 11 titles, Rafael Nadal also has his own suite in Monte-Carlo
Rafael Nadal's love for clay is something tennis fans are well aware of. The Spanish superstar has had unparalleled success on the surface throughout his illustrious career.
The Monte-Carlo Masters is one of Nadal's favorite hunting grounds. The Spaniard boasts an incredible record at the event after making his debut in 2003 at the tender age of 16. He has won the tournament on 11 occasions, with his latest victory coming in 2018 when he beat Kei Nishikori in the final.
As a reward for his incredible success at the tournament, Rafael Nadal had a suite named after him in 2018 at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort in the presence of Prince Albert II. The suite contains memorabilia from Nadal's illustrious career, including a T-shirt, shoes, racquet and a scattering of photos.
This is the 92m² suite named after Rafael Nadal at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. The suite includes memorabilia from Rafa's career. It costs €800 per night in the low season 😮 https://t.co/2uKL8rxfPJ
But a night at the famous suite doesn't come cheap and will set you back upwards of £800 per night.
Rafael Nadal will not participate in this year's edition of the Masters 1000 event as he sustained a rib injury at Indian Wells. Nadal spoke about how he had trouble breathing during the match and said it felt "like a needle inside."
"I have trouble breathing. I don't know if it's something in the rib or what it is. When I breathe, when I move, it's like a needle inside all the time. I get a little dizzy because it's painful, it limits me a lot, and it affects me. More than sad about the defeat, something that I accepted immediately even before finishing the final, I am suffering more because of this issue," Nadal said in his press conference after the match.
Rafael Nadal's season to date
Up until his loss to Taylor Fritz in the final at Indian Wells, Rafael Nadal had enjoyed a perfect start to the season, winning 20 consecutive matches.
The Spaniard started the year by lifting the title at the Melbourne Summer Set without dropping a set. He then beat the likes of Adrian Mannarino, Matteo Berrettini and Denis Shapovalov to reach the Australian Open final. After dropping the first two sets in the title clash against Daniil Medvedev, Nadal mounted an incredible fightback to capture a record 21st Grand Slam title.
Forever a fighter 🇪🇸
#AusOpen • #AO2022 • @RafaelNadal https://t.co/FodVjk0fME
Nadal competed at Acapulco next, where he once again got the better of Medvedev en route to the title. The Spaniard then marauded his way to the final at Indian Wells. He beat rising star Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals before being struck down by injury.
Nadal is set to spend a significant amount of time on the sidelines in order to recover completely. He has withdrawn from the Monte-Carlo Masters and will likely pull out of Barcelona as well.